Sweet Sorrow
by TotoSage
Summary: Abby, the new girl in town, is making new friends everyday. One day, everyone notices that something is happening to their dear neighbor Wolfgang. He's changing, and everyone is determined to help him out, no matter what!
1. Chapter 1

I've been living in this small town for a little over two months now and things are finally starting to mellow out a little. While trying my best to be more outgoing, I have made a few new, albeit…_feral_…friends. Who knew that there were entire towns comprised of walking, talking animals…that _didn't _eat each other?

I looked out the window and pondered about the day's activities. Should I got out and catch a few bugs? Should I go fishing?

I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard a knock at the door. Excitedly, I rushed over to the door and quickly threw it open. I was greeted by Rodeo, who had quickly become one of my best friends in all of Applewood. His gleaming, goofy smile seemed to radiate waves of pure happiness. In one hand, he was holding his red bug net.

"Hey, Abby," he said excitedly. "I was wondering if you'd wanna go out and catch some bugs with me, chaps."

Thankful and excited about the receiving the invitation, I nodded and pulled out my net.

"Awesome!" the bull said. "But first, let's invite a few others!"

Rodeo walked out the door as I happily tagged along. We knocked on our neighbors' doors, hoping to find a few more players for our game. After a few minutes of going door-to-door, we finally had a team that was big enough: Poncho, Gladys, Dizzy, and Butch.

The six of us cheerfully marched over to Wolfgang's house, curious to see if he was even awake. We all knocked on the door in unison, hoping that the blue wolf would appear. It took awhile, but finally, Wolfgang opened his door.

"Whatdoya want, snarrrl?" he asked drowsily.

All together, we held up our nets and flashed him smiles.

Poncho, who was standing in front, was the first to speak. "Wanna go bug-catching with us?"

Lazily rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Wolfgang replied, "Don't you see what time it is?"

I looked down at my watch. It was almost 11 A.M.

"C'mon," Gladys begged. "It'll be great! I even have a spare net if you don't have one, stretch."

"Alright, lil bear," Poncho said, net in hand. "Let's meet up by the waterfall."

* * *

><p>"Ok, woo-oo," Dizzy said. "Here are the rules. The person with the most bugs after 10 minutes gets a prize."<p>

Butch cocked his head to the side, curious. "Well," he said gruffly. "What's the prize?"

"I dunno…I guess we'll just let the winner choose what they want," Dizzy shrugged.

Gladys held out her net, her expression showing her eagerness. "Alright, Abby, you got a stopwatch?"

I nodded, holding up my golden stopwatch.

"Good," she smiled. "Poncho, can you keep the time?"

"Sure!" he proudly replied. "I'm the time-keeping **champion**!"

"Alright," Butch barked. "Everyone has 10 minutes."

Poncho held up the stopwatch, his finger delicately placed on the button.

"3…2…1…**GO**!"

* * *

><p>"That's it, everyone!" Poncho announced. "Time's up!"<p>

At the sound of Poncho's voice, everyone dropped their nets and headed back over to the tumbling waterfall. We gathered together in a circle, patiently waiting to declare the winner.

Poncho walked back towards me, returning my precious stopwatch. "I caught a Stag beetle by the beach and 3 butterflies by the main gate."

"I caught 3 little bumblebees," Rodeo said, slightly blushing. "Aren't they just the cutest?"

"I caught 3 Yellow and 2 White butterflies," Butch piped up proudly.

"Aw, stetch," Gladys said, slightly disappointed in herself. "I only caught a fly…"

Dizzy couldn't help but let out a laugh. "I caught two fleas off of Chevre's back!"

I had caught 5 Yellow butterflies and 3 Tiger butterflies, but I decided to hold my tongue. Butch seemed so happy being the winner, so I decided to let him have this one.

We all turned our gazes towards Wolfgang, who had a scowl on his face. He was growling to himself. It was so low that no one could make out what he was saying.

I could see the hatred in his eyes; the bitter anguish and fury. His beady eyes were reflecting a feeling of harsh anger. Our lupine friend was slowly becoming a ticking time bomb, an ignited explosive.

Before anyone could make a move, Wolfgang threw his net on the ground, snapping it clean in half. He crossly folded his arms and turned away from us, avoiding our gazes.

"I didn't want to play this stupid game anyway…"

Butch, who took offense to Wolfgang's sudden outburst, came over and poked Wolfgang in the chest.

"What's the big idea, ROOOOOWF?" he inquired angrily.

Wolfgang shoved the tan and orange dog off of him. "Nothing!"

"If nothing's wrong, why are you acting this way?" Gladys nervously asked.

Butch was still in Wolfgang's face, growling. "What's your problem then, ROOOOOWF?"

Wolfgang shoved Butch even harder, desperate to get him out of his personal space. "Leave me alone, snarrrl!"

What started out as a friendly game was slowly turning into a free-for-all. I knew that we all wanted it to stop, but none of us knew how to stop it.

Rodeo, the passive bull that he was, walked towards Wolfgang with a gentle demeanor. "It's not such a bad thing to lose…"

"If you're gonna be such a jerk, why did you play with us, ROOOOOWF?" Butch interrogated.

"Shut up, Butch!" Wolfgang demanded. It was then that I knew that Wolfgang had reached his breaking point.

With one final push, Butch shoved Wolfgang as hard as he could. Unable to find his balance, Wolfgang tumbled onto the ground, landing hard next to his broken net. Wolfgang's muzzle slammed into the dirt, covering his face in dust and grime. For a few seconds, all he did was lie there, still.

The rest of us, frozen in shock, let out thunderous gasps. It was obvious that Butch regretted what he did because he walked next to Wolfgang and offered to help him up.

Wolfgang brought himself up to his feet, rejecting Butch's offer. He picked up the busted net and stormed off towards his house, letting out barely audible sniffles on his way back home.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh, my, that _poor _thing!"

It had been a whole day since the incident that took place yesterday and everyone involved seemed frozen by shock and fear. No one had left their homes since. Chevre was the only one who wasn't a part of yesterday's calamity, so I thought that it would be best to fill her in on the details.

"Well…has he come back out yet?" she wondered.

Solemnly, I shook my head.

Chevre started running her hooves through her ivory-colored fur. "That's…_very _unlike him…He's always been a bit sarcastic and surly…but never violent…"

If there was one thing I adored about Chevre, it was her candid love that she had towards everyone. She was a kindhearted soul that never spoke ill of anyone or anything. Everyone in the town had a great amount of respect for her.

She began to pace back and forth, humming to herself in soft melodic tones. Some of her best ideas came from when she was listening to music. Music helped her think and relax in a way that no one else could.

"I know that Wolfgang has his days. I've known him for a few years; long enough to know about his mood swings."

Chevre's gaze reached over towards mine. When our eyes met, she seemed to be radiating a powerful feeling of concern and grief.

"Don't judge a book by its cover. Wolfgang really is a nice guy. If I could describe him using anything, I'd use a peach. Sure, it's hairy and…a bit weird on the outside…But on the inside, he's really quite soft and sweet."

I decided not to tell her that peaches were actually _hard _in the middle. I took her speech for what it was-or at least, what it was _trying _to be.

She walked over to her dresser and pulled out several pieces of plain stationary. Carefully, she grabbed a pen and started rapidly scribbling things down. I was curious about what she was trying to do, so I got up from the couch to see. Before I could figure out what she was writing, she quickly turned around.

"I know that everyone's been having a hard time," she started out. "But, maybe, we could get everyone acting like themselves with a little get-together!"

Those weren't notes-they were invitations.

"If you don't mind, I'd love for you to pass these out to everyone," Chevre asked appreciatively. "It's just a small favor."

I nodded and put the invites in my pocket for safekeeping.

* * *

><p>"What an awesome shin-dig ya got!"<p>

Chevre let out a giggle. "Thank you, Poncho. Please, help yourself to some jasmine tea, la baa. The lemon cake I baked should be done shortly."

Rodeo grabbed his cup of tea and gulped it down without even thinking. Suddenly, he hopped up from the couch and started waving cool air on his tongue with his hooves.

"The tea is hot, you doofus," Butch laughed.

As soon as he recollected himself, Rodeo let out a goofy laugh. "I didn't mean to chug it like that. But Chevre's an amazing cook!"

Everyone in the room let out "mm hm"s and smiled in agreement.

Chevre could bake a cake that could turn any frown upside down. Her casseroles were always crowd pleasers. Her pies and tarts were to die for. Her tea was never too bitter, nor too sweet. She was Applewood's baking connoisseur.

In the middle of the room was a small, white Regal Table with a fancy white tablecloth. Laid on top of it was an assortment of plastic silverware, snacks, plastic cups, and beverages. The most popular appetizers were her mini quiches and her freshly-baked cinnamon rolls.

I couldn't keep myself from giggling when I saw Rodeo try to stuff cinnamon rolls and chocolate cake in his mouth. He was struggling to fit both foods in his mouth at the same time. Of course, I worried about him choking, but I still smiled the entire time.

Gladys walked over to his side and pat him on the shoulder with her wings. "Don't you think you should…y'know, slow down?"

After Rodeo swallowed his food, he responded by saying, "I can't help it! With food as good as this, you can help but to hork it down!"

Poncho walked over to them, paws on his bloated tummy. "I know that I'm gonna regret this tomorrow! I'm so stuffed that I don't think that I'll be alert enough to do my morning workout!"

The trio let out a laugh and walked back over to the table for more food.

As I looked around, I noticed something. It was something that stuck out more than a sore thumb.

Wolfgang wasn't there.

Chevre saw my look of concern and pulled me off to the side. When the coast was clear, she started to whisper.

"You gave Wolfgang the invitation, right?"

I nodded.

"Well…maybe…you could go and talk to him. He might still be in his funk, but hopefully, you can talk some sense into him."

I quietly left the party and strolled over to my own house. After grabbing an ink pen, I pulled a sheet of paper out from my writing desk. Knowing that Wolfgang was probably still in a bad mood, I decided to write him a note and leave it on his door instead of bothering him.

My words had to be carefully planned out, yet effective. I wanted to get my point across, but I also didn't want to seem too forceful. I let my brain do the thinking and my pen do the talking. This note had to mean something and it had to be completely heartfelt.

My only fear was that Wolfgang wouldn't read it.

Carefully, I put the pen away and folded the letter in a decorative blue envelope. I was going to take it to Town Hall, but I figured that if I delivered it myself, I'd get it to Wolfgang a lot faster.

_Well, here I go…_

Gathering up my courage, I headed out the door. Hands trembling, I held the envelope in my hand and placed it in Wolfgang's rusty mailbox.

_Oh…I hope he'll say yes…_


	3. Chapter 3

I was never really a morning person. I hated waking up early, but I still enjoyed calm, foggy mornings like this. A light blanket of fog coated the sleepy town, making Applewood seem as though it were inside of a cloud.

I stood at the bus stop, wrapped in a thick coat and hat. I looked down at my watch, impatiently waiting for the bus to arrive.

From a distance, I could see the lights in Wolfgang's house turn on. He was the only one, besides me, who was stirring about this early in the morning. He was tightly bundled up in a dark blue jacket that nicely complimented his lighter blue fur. He had mittens on his light yellow paws and brown boots on his feet.

Slowly, he walked up to the bus stop to stand beside me. His eyes were fixed on the ground below him. He had a look on his face that seemed to show how ashamed he was for his behavior a days ago.

When he looked up at me, he's eyes were full of regret. Even though a few of the other townspeople seemed to have mixed feelings towards Wolfgang's actions, I only felt bad for him.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted…," Wolfgang blubbered. "I…just ruined everything, didn't I?"

I shook my head no. Of course, he **_did _**cause a scene. But he didn't ruin anything.

"…I know that you're just trying to make me feel better…," Wolfgang grumbled, a warm smile slowly crawling onto his face.

Gently, I placed my hand onto his shoulder. I just hoped that all the turmoil that went on before was gone for good.

We both turned our heads, as the large, yellow bus loudly pulled in. The eccentric driver opened the door to the bus, greeting us with an inviting smile.

"Aye, where to?" the driver said in a very chipper voice.

"The city," Wolfgang blankly responded.

I picked a random bus seat and sat by the window. Wolfgang sat down next to me, staring down at his feet. I stared out the window, watching the scenery flash by. There was an awkward tension between us; no speaking or eye contact. It wasn't the fact that neither of us _wanted _to talk. It was just…we couldn't figure out what to say to one another.

After a few more awkward minutes, the driver looked at us through his large rear view mirror. He smiled when he saw us look up.

"Aye, nothin' be stronger 'an young love, is thar?"

Immediately, Wolfgang's head shot up. He looked embarrassed and unsure of himself. He tried to make a response, but his tongue seemed to trip over itself.

"Relax, my wee blowfish. No need to explain yerself. Yer lass may not 'ave fur or claws…but it doesn't matter in the slightest. Just treat yer lady well and good'll come back to yee."

Wolfgang's ears were flattened against his head. "She's not my lady…," he babbled uncomfortably.

I had never seen Wolfgang act like this before. In fact, I had never seen anyone like this before. I decided that it was best not to humiliate Wolfgang any further. So, I pretended to be preoccupied with drawing shapes on the foggy windows.

Kapp'n let out an amused chuckle and turned his eyes completely back onto the road. "What'evr ya say, cap'n. Remember, you should gather up all yar belongings. The city be approachin' us soon."

* * *

><p>The city was absolutely breath-taking. The buildings were so large and the streets were virtually spotless. Everything seemed so perfect. Even the few animals that were there were prim and proper too. Their outfits were all from famous designers and they walked with a certain stylish flare.<p>

"Hey…how about we go over there?" Wolfgang said, pointing towards a theater.

The theater had a large neon sign hanging on the top of it. It read: Dr. Shrunk's Comedy Club. I loved to laugh, so going to the comedy club was the perfect idea.

The only thing we _didn't _laugh at was the price.

"What do you mean 800 bells a ticket?!" Wolfgang protested.

The clerk behind the counter sighed. "Sir, it's 800 bells. You can either pay it or go to another theater in another city."

Unwillingly, Wolfgang paid 1,600 bells so that we could both go in. In the darkness of the theater, it was a little hard to see where we were going. Luckily, we were the only ones there, so there were plenty of empty seats available.

* * *

><p>After the show, we went inside of a small café. We both ordered our breakfast and sat at a table outside.<p>

"Man…there's so much to do and see out here. It's so beautiful…and there's always something new to do everyday!" Wolfgang gushed.

I nodded in agreement, taking small sips of my hot tea. It made me overjoyed to see Wolfgang enjoying himself. We both needed a small break from our sleepy town anyway. I didn't hate Applewood, but it was nice to head out and see new sights.

As we were eating, the lights were coming on in all of the other stores. GracieGrace, the Auction House, the Happy Room Academy, Shampoodle's Beauty Salon; all of the stores were starting to open up shop.

"Abby," Wolfgang said, pointing towards the town square. "Look over there…who's that weirdo?"

A plump, yet cheery sea lion was making his way towards the center of town. He was pushing a musical cart in front of him, decorated with colorful balloons and pinwheels.

"After we eat, we _have _to check it out!

"Young man, step right up! Today is an amazing day, isn't it? Go on, ask me why," the friendly sea lion chirped.

"Alright…why is it-"

Before Wolfgang could finish his sentence, Phineas cheerfully interrupted him. He pulled a blue bunny balloon and handed it to him.

"Go ahead, enjoy it! Enjoy this beautiful day, my good sir. Oh, and one prize per person…and only one prize per day!" the cheery walrus said.

* * *

><p>"So, yee both had an amazin' time, did yee?" Kapp'n asked.<p>

Wolfgang nodded, his bunny balloon tied around his wrist. "Yep, we sure did!"

It made me feel good to see Wolfgang in a chipper mood again. I couldn't help but smile.

"The food was great, the sights were great, and we both had a blast! Right, Abby?"

I nodded.

Kapp'n let out a happy laugh. "Well, that's good. Applewood is coming up in 30 minutes, my wee urchins."

Slowly, I felt myself begin to drift off. My eyelids started to feel heavy and I was beginning to feel drowsy. Little did I know, that, when I fell asleep, my head rested on Wolfgang's left shoulder.

Through his bus' rear view mirror, Kapp'n looked back at us.

_See, I told that scurvy dog that treating his lady good would give him good in return_!


End file.
